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U.S. NEWS Friday 1 June 2018

St. Paul archdiocese to pay $210M to clergy abuse victims

By STEVE KARNOWSKI and Marie Mielke, who was But the largest total payout
AMY FORLITI sexually abused from of any kind came in 2007,
Associated Press 1997 to 2000 by a St. Paul when the Archdiocese of
ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — The seminarian who later Los Angeles settled clergy
Archdiocese of St. Paul and became a priest, urged sex abuse cases with 508
Minneapolis announced fellow survivors to have the victims for $660 million.
a $210 million settlement courage to stand up. Thomas Abood, chairman
Thursday with 450 victims of "Power and healing is just of the Archdiocesan
clergy sexual abuse as part as true as the evil that's out Finance Council and
of its plan for bankruptcy there," she said. "So get up Reorganization Task Force,
reorganization, making and grab it." said the settlement will
this the second-largest Archbishop Bernard Hebda be outlined in greater
payout in the scandal that said he was grateful to detail when it is filed in
rocked the nation's Roman victims who came forward. court. But he said most of
Catholic Church. "I recognize that the the funding, roughly $170
Victims' attorney Jeff abuse stole so much from million, will come from
Anderson said the money, you, your childhood, your insurance carriers. The rest Victims of abuse by priests stand in support of the settlement
a total of $210,290,724, innocence, your safety, will come from parishes, with the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis during a press
conference in the Jeff Anderson & Associates office in Saint
will go into a pot to pay your ability to trust, and in the archdiocese, a pension Paul, Minn., Thursday, May 31, 2018.
survivors, with the amount many cases, your faith," fund and real estate sales. Associated Press
for each survivor to be he said, adding that he "We will do everything we
determined. hopes the settlement brings can to expedite it," Abood resulted in hundreds of into mediation.
Anderson said a formal closure to those who were said, adding that he claims being filed against Pamela Foohey, associate
reorganization plan will harmed. "We've been hopes the process can be the archdiocese. professor at Indiana
now be submitted to a working with them very completed in the next few The bankruptcy case University Maurer School
bankruptcy judge for carefully to try to formulate months. "We have gone proceeded slowly as of Law, said this settlement
approval, and then it will this in a way that benefits everywhere we could attorneys argued over speaks to the value of
be sent to the victims for a them to the maximum." to raise money for this how much money the negotiations — as the
vote. Anderson expected According to the website settlement." archdiocese and insurance settlement amount is about
they will readily approve it. BishopAccountability. The archdiocese filed for companies should pay. $50 million more than the
"We changed the playing org, which tracks clergy bankruptcy in 2015, two Last December, U.S. original plan put forth by
field," said Jim Keenan, who sex abuse cases, this is years after the Minnesota Bankruptcy Judge Robert the archdiocese.
was sexually abused as a the largest total payout Legislature opened a three- Kressel rejected competing "It allows survivors to feel
child in the 1980s by a Twin among the Roman year window that allowed reorganization plans filed like justice was served and
Cities-area priest. "They Catholic archdioceses and people who had been by the archdiocese and a ... having a voice was really
have to listen to victims dioceses that have filed sexually abused in the past creditors' committee and important to accepting the
now, and that is huge." for bankruptcy protection. to sue for damages. That ordered both sides back outcome," she said.q